The present invention relates generally to an automated system for the delivery of personalized therapy sessions. More specifically, the present invention relates to an automated system whereby the user enters a variety of information related to their particular condition and provides various photographs and/or video clips that are in turn analyzed by the system to develop a personalized therapy routine for the user. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful as an automated method for creating a customized therapeutic exercise regimen developed by an expert system called the Anatomical Pain Elimination Expert System (APEX™) (APEX is a trademark of Therapy Solutions, Inc.) which is based on a set of rules via algorithms with complex patterns. The system immediately delivers a visual presentation of a physical therapy routine for an individual that can be viewed over the Internet. The system also allows for manual creation and delivery of therapeutic exercise via the Internet, called the Physical Therapy Expert System (PTEX™) (PTEX is a trademark of Therapy Solutions, Inc.) and fitness regimens for an individual that can also be viewed over the Internet, called the Fitness Expert System (FITEX™) (FITEX is a trademark of Therapy Solutions, Inc.).
Our bodily systems depend on motion for survival, yet human movement has changed and dramatically decreased over the past few centuries. With the onset of the industrial revolution, humans have witnessed large scale changes in communication beginning with the invention of the wireless telegraph and have further experienced a transformation in both our social and movement patterns as a result of the invention of the automobile. Then, during the real technology revolution at the end of the 20th century, the pace of human life and interaction quickened, but not the pace of the human feet. In general all of the advances, and especially the technological advances, that have come to us thought the beginning of the industrial revolution have developed societies that do not require sufficient movement by the average person. The difficulty is that as adequate movement ceases to exist, the postural and structural muscles of the body deteriorate. As a result, these muscles become dysfunctional and our structural integrity is compromised. The body then experiences compensations, limitations, and a vast number of ailments, which all compound to affect physical and mental performance. Fortunately, the body is a highly integrated structure and has a tremendous capacity for self-healing. Unfortunately, most modern medical treatments merely treat the site of pain while the use of drugs, surgical procedures, and many forms of therapeutic treatments often fail to address the causes of musculoskeletal pain. Thus, any possible symptom relief is only temporary, while the misalignments and dysfunctions remain.
The implementation of a physical therapy routine for remedying the various symptoms suffered by an individual is well known in the prior art and typically consists of a series of physical exercises. The exercises are usually prescribed and assigned to an individual by physical therapists for rehabilitation from a specifically identified disease and/or injury. When determining a proper routine, the physical therapist or exercise instructor also needs to account for individual factors such as age, fitness level, and medical history, in addition to the type of diseases or injury, the individual may be experiencing.
Once the physical therapy routine or work routine is prescribed, the physical therapist or exercise instructor must make sure the individual understands how to correctly accomplish the physical exercises in the routine. To do this, the physical therapist or exercise instructor will typically demonstrate the exercises to the individual and provide written instructions for subsequent reference. Often, however, this process is an inefficient use of the time of the physical therapist, particularly if the routine is lengthy and involved. Further, even though the individual may initially understand the entire routine, the individual may eventually forget how to correctly perform certain exercises in the routine over time.
Standardized videotapes and other well known technologies for visual presentations such as CD ROM and DVD that provide a visual presentation of physical exercises for muscle tone and weight reduction are known in the prior art as well, and also provide a means for reducing the therapist time required for proper instruction. These standardized visual presentations, however, typically assume that the person viewing the visual presentation and performing the exercises is a completely healthy person. Therefore, they do not account for the age, fitness level or physical malady of the individual that requires therapy. Moreover, for various reasons, other physical activities such as occupational therapy, athletic training programs and yoga exercises are subject to these same concerns.
In an attempt to overcome some of the shortcomings of the prior art self-directed systems, a number of non-interactive medical systems have been created to streamline the diagnostic process. Generally these systems are developed as guides that must be implemented by medical professionals For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,881 to Haessler et al. discloses a medical diagnostic tool for health care professionals comprising a means for automated medical history taking. Haessler discloses the use of automated logic, wherein the questions asked are dependent on the patient's responses to prior questions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,122 to Autschuler et al. discloses an interactive statistical system and method for predicting expert decisions. In practice, this system analyzes several input responses, by utilizing statistical analysis and preprogrammed expert opinions, to determine a diagnosis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,374 to Roizen et al. discloses a device which is used to record patient history. Answers to a set of medical questions are used by the device to select medical or it pre-operative tests.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,510 to Umata et al. discloses a picture archiving communication lot system that records and stores various digital image data. In use, a patient is examined by way of a medical imaging device. The image is digitized and thereafter stored in a database with other relevant patient attributes. At a later time, medical personnel retrieve the image and other attributes at a remote workstation.
There is therefore a need for a system that allows a user to automatically input personal information regarding their condition to obtain a customized therapy routine. There is a further need for a method of creating a visual presentation of a work, exercise or physical therapy routine for an individual that customizes the visual presentation according to the specific performance capabilities of the individual. There is still a further need for a method for creating a visual presentation of a work, exercise or physical therapy routine that can be customized and delivered to an individual over the Internet, in a printout, on a CD or on a videotape. Finally, there is a further need for a method for creating a customized visual presentation of a work, exercise or physical therapy routine that is effectively easy to operate, relatively simple to manufacture, and comparatively cost effective.